The design of this article is to propound several rules, by a steady conformity to any one of which, a man may preach so as not to convert anybody. It is generally conceded at the present day that the Holy Spirit converts souls to Christ by means of truth adapted to that end.
It follows that a selfish preacher will not skillfully adapt means to convert souls to Christ; for this is not his end.
Rule 1. Let your supreme motive be to secure your own popularity; then, of course, your preaching will be adapted to that end, and not to convert souls to Christ.
2. Aim at pleasing, rather than at converting your hearers.
3. Aim at securing for yourself the reputation of a beautiful writer.
4. Let your sermons have the following characteristics:—
Let them be written with a high degree of literary finish.
Let them be short, occupying in the reading not to exceed from twenty to twenty-five minutes.
Let your style be flowery, ornate, and quite above the comprehension of the common people.
Be sparing of thought, lest your sermon contain truth enough to convert a soul.
Lest your sermons should make a saving impression, announce no distinct propositions or heads, that will be remembered, to disturb the conscience of your hearers.
Make no distinct points, and take up no disturbing issues with the consciences of your hearers, lest they remember these issues, and become alarmed about their souls.
Avoid a logical division and subdivision of your subject, lest you should too thoroughly instruct your people.
Give your sermons the form and substance of a flowing, beautifully-written, but never-to-be-remembered essay; so that your hearers will say, “It was a beautiful sermon,” but can give no further account of it.
Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind, lest they should say of you as they said of Christ, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” and lest you should injure your influence.
Denounce sin in the abstract, but make no allusion to the sins of your present audience.
Keep the spirituality of God’s holy law, by which is the knowledge of sin, out of sight, lest the sinner should see his lost condition, and flee from the wrath to come.
Preach the gospel as a remedy, but conceal or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner.
Preach salvation by grace; but ignore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should understand what you mean by grace, and feel his need of it.
Preach Christ as an infinitely amiable and good-natured being; but ignore those scathing rebukes of sinners and hypocrites which so often made his hearers tremble.
Avoid especially preaching to those who are present. Preach about sinners, and not to them. Say they, and not you, lest any one should make a personal and saving application of your subject.
Aim to make your hearers pleased with themselves and pleased with you, and be careful not to wound the feelings of any one.
5. Preach no searching sermons, lest you convict and convert the worldly members of your church.
6. Avoid awakening uncomfortable memories by reminding your hearers of past sins.
7. Do not make the impression that God commands your hearers now and here to obey the truth.
8. Do not make the impression that you expect your hearers to commit themselves upon the spot, and give their hearts to God.
9. Leave the impression that they are expected to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at their convenience.
10. Dwell much upon their inability to obey, and leave the impression that they must wait for God to change their natures.
11. Make no appeals to the fears of sinners; but leave the impression that they have no reason to fear.
12. Say so little of hell that your people will infer that you do not believe in its existence.
13. Make the impression that if God is as good as you are he will send no one to hell.
14. Preach the love of God, but ignore the holiness of his love that will by no means clear the impenitent sinner.
15. Often present God in his parental love and relations, but ignore his governmental and legal relations to his subjects, lest the sinner should find himself condemned already, and the wrath of God abiding on him.
16. Preach God as all mercy, lest a fuller representation of his character should alarm the consciences of your hearers.
17. Try to convert sinners to Christ without producing any uncomfortable convictions of sin.
18. Flatter the rich, so as to repel the poor, and you will convert none of either class.
19. Make no disagreeable allusions to the doctrines of self-denial, cross-bearing, and crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and convert some of your church-members.
20. Admit, either expressly or impliedly, that all men have some moral goodness in them, lest sinners should understand that they need a radical change of heart, from sin to holiness.
21. Avoid pressing the doctrine of total moral depravity, lest you should offend, or even convict and convert, the moralist.
22. Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings, and finally convert some of them.
23. Should any express anxiety about their souls, do not probe them by any uncomfortable allusion to their sin and ill desert; but encourage them to join the church at once, and exhort them to assume their perfect safety within the fold.
24. Preach the love of Christ, not as enlightened benevolence, that is holy, just, and sin-hating; but as a sentiment, an involuntary and indiscriminating fondness.
25. Be sure not to represent religion as a state of loving self-sacrifice for God and souls; but rather a free and easy state of self-indulgence. By thus doing you will prevent sound conversions to Christ, and convert your hearers to yourself.
26. So select your themes and so present them as to attract and flatter the wealthy, aristocratic, self-indulgent, extravagant, pleasure-seeking classes, and you will not convert any of them to the cross-bearing religion of Christ.
27. Be time-serving, or you will endanger your salary; and, besides, if you speak out and are faithful, you may convert somebody.
28. Do not preach with a divine unction, lest your preaching make a saving impression.
29. To avoid this, do not maintain a close walk with God, but rely upon your learning and study.
30. Lest you should pray too much, engage in light reading and worldly amusements.
31. That your people may not think you in earnest to save their souls, and, as a consequence, heed your preaching, encourage church fairs, lotteries, and other gambling and worldly expedients to raise money for church purposes.
32. If you do not yourself approve of such things, make no public mention of your disapprobation, lest your church should give them up and turn their attention to saving souls, and be saved themselves.
33. Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest you should uncomfortably impress your vain and worldly church-members.
34. Lest you should be troubled with revival scenes and labors, encourage parties, pic-nics, excursions, and worldly amusements, so as to divert attention from the serious work of saving souls.
35. Ridicule solemn earnestness in pulling sinners out of the fire, and recommend, by precept and example, a jovial, fun-loving religion, and sinners will have little respect for your serious preaching.
36. Cultivate a fastidious taste in your people, by avoiding all disagreeable allusions to the last judgment and final retribution.
37. Treat such uncomfortable doctrines as obsolete and out of place in these days of Christian refinement.
38. Do not commit yourself to much needed reforms, lest you should compromise your popularity and injure your influence. Or you may make some branch of outward reform a hobby, and dwell so much upon it as to divert attention from the great work of converting souls to Christ.
39. So exhibit religion as to encourage the selfish pursuit of it. Make the impression upon sinners that their own safety and happiness is the supreme motive of being religious.
40. Do not lay much stress upon the efficacy or necessity of prayer, lest the Holy Spirit should be poured out upon you and the congregation, and sinners should be converted.
41. Make little or no impression upon your hearers, so that you can repeat your old sermons often without being noticed.
42. If your text suggests any alarming thought, pass lightly over it, and by no means dwell upon and enforce it.
43. Avoid all illustration, repetition, and emphatic sentences that may compel your people to remember what you say.
44. Avoid all heat and earnestness in your delivery, lest you make the impression that you really believe what you say.
45. Address the imagination, and not the conscience, of your hearers.
47. Make it your great aim to be personally popular with all classes of your hearers.
47. Be tame and timid in presenting the claims of God, as would become you in presenting your own claims.
48. Be careful not to testify from your own personal experience of the power of the gospel, lest you should produce the conviction upon your hearers that you have something which they need.
49. See that you say nothing that will appear to any of your hearers to mean him or her, unless it be something flattering.
50. Encourage church sociables, and attend them yourself, because they tend so strongly to levity as to compromise Christian dignity and sobriety, and thus paralyze the power of your preaching.
51. Encourage the cultivation of the social in so many ways as to divert the attention of yourself and your church-members from the infinite guilt and danger of the unconverted among you.
52. In these sociables talk a little about religion, but avoid any serious appeal to the heart and conscience of those who attend, lest you discourage their attendance, always remembering that they do not go to sociables to be earnestly dealt with in regard to their relations to God. In this way you will effectually so employ yourself and church-members as that your preaching will not convert anybody.
The experience of ministers who have steadily adhered to the above rules will attest the soul-destroying efficacy of such a course, and churches whose ministers have steadily conformed to any of these rules can testify that such preaching does not convert souls to Christ. If souls are converted in congregations cursed with such a ministry, it will be by other means than by preaching.—PRES. E. G. FINNEY.
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
It appears from this text that unless we possess a forgiving spirit we cannot expect that God will forgive us our sins; for, indeed, most of us need daily the forgiving grace of God; and if he should for one day hide his face from us in anger, we would faint and die.
The world know not how much they owe to the special influences of God’s Spirit for the quiet and peace and happiness they enjoy. Few realize how the forbearance of God is continually tried; few can realize how he endures with sinful man.
Often, we hear people doubt or deny the special providence of God, when, at the same time, he is keeping a strict record of every idle word, and every skeptical expression; and still he waits, and invites all to approach his mercy in humble confession and penitence; can we possibly find fault with our contemporaries, for their wrongs, while God is so forbearing with us?
Jesus set us a very noble pattern in asking his Father to forgive his foes, even while they were killing and tormenting him. Only think of it; before they even thought of repentance, he implored God to forgive them, and, no doubt many of those who cried out to crucify him, were among the converts on the day of Pentecost, in answer to this prayer.
If we harbor an unforgiving spirit toward others, we tacitly say to God that we wish his frown and secret curse to ever rest upon us and all our interests; and if we remember the wrongs of others, we say to God, “Do not forget our sins, but ever keep them in thy mind, and remind us of them on every convenient and proper occasion.” JOS. CLARKE.
What a Man Does in Half a Century.
According to a French statistician, taking the mean of many accounts, a man of fifty years of age has slept 6000 days, worked 6500 days, walked 800 days, amused himself 4000 days, was eating 1500 days, was sick 500 days, etc. He has eaten 17,000 pounds of bread, 16,000 pounds of meat, 4600 pounds of vegetables, eggs, and fish, and drank 7000 gallons of liquid, viz., water, coffee, tea, beer, wine, etc., altogether. This would make a respectable lake of 300 square feet surface and three feet deep, on which small steamboats could navigate. And all this solid and liquid material passed through a human
H. A. St. John
By H. A. St. John
Michigan.
Since my last report I have tried to do what I could in Hillsdale Co. Have held from two to six meetings a week in Jefferson, besides holding a few meetings and visiting in other places. I have seen very much of the work of the Lord in Jefferson. The blessed truth is taking deep hold upon many hearts, and almost weekly some new ones are taking their stand to keep all the commandments of God.
Four different times have we repaired to the beautiful Bird Lake near by for baptism. The largest number going forward at one time was seventeen. Altogether, thirty-five souls have followed their Lord in baptism. Each of these scenes was solemn and impressive, and at the first they were attended by hundreds of witnesses. Six of the number baptized united with the church in Ransom, and four in Hillsdale, while the remainder form a part of the newly organized church in Jefferson. This church now consists of thirty-three members, all heads of families excepting one, and a band more earnest, and united in brotherly love I have seldom, if ever seen. Oh! what a power there is in the present truth to melt and unite hearts, when accompanied by the Spirit of God. The organization of this church is complete, except the ordination of officers. These are appointed on trial for a season.
The steps necessary to legally hold church property have now all been taken, a subscription circulated, a building committee appointed, and the timber and a portion of the lumber is now on the ground for the building of a house of worship. It is designed to have it all completed before winter.
Thus far Bro. T. J. Butler has been left to labor alone in Ohio. He has tried the old tent, but found it unfit for service. A new one is probably in the field by this time, and I feel quite anxious to join Bro. B. to render the little assistance in my power, but as I have been hindered hitherto, duty seems to demand a longer stay here. Just now the present truth, and especially the holy law of God, is being opposed by Eld. A. N. Seymour and another man of the same spirit. These men profess to believe in the near coming of Jesus, and yet their opposition to the third angel's message and God's holy law, is the most spiteful and unreasonable of anything I have ever yet seen. We trust in God to vindicate his own truth. And we do most earnestly pray and labor that no honest God-fearing soul may be led into the terrible snare and delusion that the ten commandments are abolished.
I think I never felt more deeply than at the present writing the necessity of a close walk with God, that I may be a co-worker with Jesus and holy angels in saving precious souls from the devil's snares and the wrath to come.
May the Lord protect, and abundantly bless his dear people in Jefferson. And this he will certainly do, if they walk humbly and circumspectly before him.
H. A. St. John
Ransom, Mich., July 20, 1875.
Rolla, Missouri.
By George I. Butler
As was suggested in a former report, Bro. Allen and myself came to Rolla about six weeks ago. But as the tent had not come, we did not commence labor at once. After waiting nearly a week, we commenced our lectures in the court-house.
Continued our meetings there about two weeks, and then changed to the tent. From the first, we have had a regular interest from some of the best citizens of the place, and the interest is full as good now as it has been at any time, our congregation being rather larger. We have canvassed the second advent and Sabbath questions quite thoroughly, and are now upon the immortality question. Our interest is by no means fully developed yet.
Last Sabbath, as near as I could learn, some sixteen kept the Sabbath of the Lord, who never had done so till they heard us. There are many more under deep conviction, some of whom I feel sure will take a stand in favor of the truth. I shall be greatly disappointed if there is not a good commandment-keeping church brought out here. The people here are very kind-hearted and sociable, and we meet with more cordiality than we generally do in northern latitudes. I can but believe, from what I see and learn, that God's truth will yet search out many souls in the South who will be jewels in the kingdom of God.
Some of the ministers of the place have manifested great bitterness, devoting sermons of denunciation to us and our work. But they seem to be killing their own influence more than ours. We can but pity them in their blindness. While they would have a small congregation, we would have a tent nearly full. Bro. Allen's acquaintance here, formed while he was professor in the School of Mines, located in this place, has been a great help to us in getting access to the people. He was much thought of by the citizens of the place when he left. After he embraced the present truth, reports came here that he was crazy, and that we were a set of fanatics. But they have since found out, that there is at least a "method in our madness," and these reports have only helped us and excited the people to come out. So they can "do nothing against the truth but for the truth." The Lord has greatly comforted our hearts in seeing the interest among the people. To his name be all the praise.
GEO. I. BUTLER.
July 13, 1875.
Iowa.
By J. W. McWILLIAMS.
AFTER the Conference, I went with Bro. Bartlett and Farnsworth to assist in setting up the tent at Woodbine, Iowa. Leaving the brethren, I went to Deloit, in Crawford Co., where I found a few friends of the truth. On the Sabbath, held meetings in the vicinity where Bro. R. Winters, one of the 1844 Adventists, lives. He and his family are still working for the interest of the cause.
On first-day, had meeting in the school-house in Deloit. I spoke on 1 Cor. 12. When I had done speaking, two or three elders of the “Latter-day Saints” wished to review my discourse. As I could not remain until the next day, they concluded to review it that afternoon and invited me to their church, where I in turn had a good opportunity of reviewing them, of exposing some of their errors in their own pulpit and to their own people, and of preaching the truth of God. There was a large congregation present. I was requested to come back and stay longer the next time I came. There are eight keeping the Sabbath in this place.
Next day I came to Dowville, where I found a family of Adventists from Minnesota, who are earnest workers in the cause of present truth, and who have got some of their neighbors and friends interested in the Sabbath question. Now I wish to say to the friends of the Tract and Missionary Society, in behalf of such, that they should continue to supply their isolated members with books and tracts, until they become acquainted with, and join, some Society in Iowa.
It sometimes is the case that our best workers are poor people, having to move from place to place, as tenants, and from one community to another, where the truth is unknown. Their lives of obedience to the commands of God excite a spirit of inquiry in the minds of their neighbors, and hence the way is open to do good in the missionary field. These friends at Dowville want tracts from Minnesota until they can join the T. & M. Society elsewhere. They do not like to send to the Office, as they have no means to pay for them. I found quite an interest at this place; I will try to give a course of lectures here when I return.
I next went to Woodbine, where the tent is located. I found some interested. The brethren had just passed through the great “wind storm,” in which many houses were blown down and others unroofed, but sustained little or no hurt. Some of the people remarked, when they saw the tent up in the morning, “The Lord must be with them.” They will go from this place to Dunlap.
I found the friends at Logan and Missouri Valley “growing in grace,” and in the knowledge of the truth. May they all go forward from “conquering to conquer,” from grace to glory.
J. W. McWILLIAMS.
Soldier Valley, Iowa, July, 1875.
A Desired Privilege.
By A. S. Hutchins
ON my way to Jamaica, visited friends in Orange County, the place of my residence when I received the light on present truth. Was happy to meet deacon Buzzell, with whom I used to be connected in the F. W. Baptist church, now strong in the Sabbath truth; and firmly established in the blessed hope of the near coming of the Saviour, and of the gift of immortality to the overcomer at that period. Bro. B. and his companion were brought to reverence the holy Sabbath by reading over one year since.
On Sabbath, spoke at his house on the cause of the disappointment in 1844. An Adventist minister was present, who expressed himself in friendly terms on our views, but said his mind was not clear on the two covenants. I gave him Eld. J. N. Andrew's eleven sermons, which he said he would read.
The next day, I heard him preach a39sermon in which he said some very important things, on the necessity of a correct theory in matters of religion. He seemed to regard sound doctrine a prerequisite to sound Christianity. So thought and so taught the great apostle. 1 Tim. 4: 16. In concluding his remarks, he stated that he had received sufficient light since embracing religion to lead him out from the church into the faith of the soon coming of the Lord, and that if there is additional light and truth he wanted it. He kindly gave me the privilege of speaking in the afternoon. I greatly desire that both of these brethren should attend our camp-meeting, soon to be held.
A. S. HUTCHINS.
July 11, 1875.
BE GENTLE TO THE ERRING.
Give a kind word to the erring—
It may raise a fallen brother!
And the law of Heaven teaches
We should kindly help each other.
Ah! the paths of vice are many;
And when tempted and when tried,
Remember that thou too art mortal,
And thy feet may turn aside.
Give a kind word to the erring:
Who have trod the paths of sin;
For the tempter, too, may woo thee,
And thy feet may run therein.
All along life's rugged pathway,
Stones are bruising weary feet!
Thistles spring among the flowers—
Tares are growing with the wheat.
And the Master in his vineyard
Hath a work for you to do,
For the harvest there is plenteous,
But the laborers are few.
Tarry not—the day is waning,
And the night is coming on,
And the Master will reward you
For the work thy hand hath done.
If from out one bleeding bosom
You have plucked the piercing thorn;
If you've cheered the drooping spirit
When its every hope was gone;
If you've stretched the hand in kindness
To lead erring, straying feet,
There's a rich reward awaits you,
And love's labor, too, is sweet.
If along life's rugged highway
You have raised a drooping flower;
If thy smile hath ever gladdened
For one heart a gloomy hour—
It hath placed a star to glitter
In the angel crown above!
Ah! life's mission, here is holy,
When we make it one of love.
Oh, remember, then, the erring!
Thou mayest lift the soul again,
And from some poor, bleeding bosom
Wipe away the guilty stain.
All the world is one broad vineyard,
Where there's work for each to do;
For the harvest, there is plenteous,
But the laborers are few!
Work, then, for life's sun is setting,
And the night is drawing on;
And the Master at his coming
Will expect thy task well done!
—Sel.
The Cause in Minnesota.
By Harrison Grant
I HAVE been trying to do what I could in the Conference thus far through the spring and summer. Left home in April. Held quarterly meetings at Blue Earth City, Tennessee, and Cherokee. May 15, ’16, held meetings with the Mankato church. Two were baptized, and five united with the church.
May 22, 23, held a meeting at Kingston. A company was raised up here last winter by Bro. Hill. As those who embraced the truth here are in two localities it was thought best to organize two separate churches. I baptized eight, and organized a church of six members at Kingston, and one at North Kingston of eleven members. Also organized S. B. and left them rejoicing in the truth.
May 22, met an appointment at Karonas. Here I found a strong company brought out by the labors of Bro. Dimmick and Fulton. Sunday morning we all retired to the banks of a beautiful lake, when eighteen followed their Lord in baptism. We then returned to their house of worship, and organized a church of nineteen members. This church was admitted into our Conference at one of its late sessions, as were also the churches of Kingston and North Kingston.
June 5 and 6, we enjoyed an excellent meeting at Grove Lake. At this meeting, I baptized five who united with the church. Two of them took a stand when Elder Haskell was there last winter. I then visited the field where Bro. Hill and Decker were laboring. There I found a good interest. About twenty had commenced to keep the Sabbath, and others were very much interested.
June 12 and 13, met with the brethren at Corinna. Here is a company brought out by the labor of Bro. Ells last spring. Three were baptized, and I partially organized a church, and they have been taken under the watchcare of our Conference.
As I was nearly one hundred miles from our camp-ground, I started for Eagle Lake, which I reached Friday, and in connection with the Conference and Camp-meeting Committee worked on the ground to prepare for our camp-meeting.
Now our camp-meeting has closed, and our brethren and sisters have returned to their homes, determined to live nearer to God and to lead better lives than ever before. May God help the dear brethren and sisters to put all their good resolutions into practice, and be prepared to meet Jesus when he comes.
I was with the church at Golden Gate last Sabbath. We had an excellent meeting, one which will be long remembered. We have three forty-foot tents in the field. Bro. Curtis and Ells are in Wright Co.; Bro. Hill and Morse have pitched their tent in Todd Co.; Bro. Dimmick and Call are giving a course of lectures in the tent in Brown Co., with a good interest. I have been with them three or four days, and I think I never saw a better interest.
Sabbath and Sunday last, the hearts of the people here in Redwood Co., were made sad by seeing the grasshoppers come down upon their fields in abundance. I never saw anything like it. They looked like large snowflakes coming down in a storm. Large wheat-fields and gardens have been nearly or quite destroyed within the last few days. Oh, how little we know what a day may bring forth! God help us to be faithful, keep pace with the message, and prepare to stand upon Mount Zion with the redeemed.
HARRISON GRANT.
Redwood Co., July 12, 1875.
Todd Co., Minn.
By W. B. Hill; F. W. Morse; L. H. Decker
We have commenced meetings at Round Prairie with the tent. Our congregations have increased from 25 to about 200. Some come out 15 to 25 miles, and one family 22 miles, with an ox team. They had never seen an Adventist before, but some unknown person had sent them the Voice. We have given eight discourses. We ask the prayers of God's people.
W. B. HILL,
F. W. MORSE,
L. H. DECKER.
Clayton Co., Iowa.
By C. A. Washburn; F. A. Barlow
We began meetings at this place June 30. At first the weather was rainy and unpleasant. We began with a congregation of about two hundred which has been about our average. We have given twenty-three lectures, and held three meetings. The brethren and sisters came in from Waukon and West Union, and met with us last Sabbath, the 17th. The meeting was well attended, and we enjoyed a good degree of the Spirit of God. It encourages our hearts to have those of like precious faith meet with us. We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.
The interest is on the increase. We are now discussing the Sabbath question. The people from the first have been very friendly. A few have already decided to keep all the commandments, and many more are in the valley of decision, and waiting to hear their minister, who occupies our tent this (Monday) evening. The kindness of the people reduces our expenses to almost nothing. Our health and courage were never better.
C. A. WASHBURN,
F. A. BARLOW.
Hardin, Clayton Co., Iowa, July 12, 1875.
Tipton, Iowa.
By J. Dorcas
I AM happy to say that our meeting at Oxford was one of much encouragement to us all. We had a good representation from abroad. Brn. Mitchell and Shireman gave six discourses, with manifest demonstration of the Spirit in each discourse. In short, we had an excellent meeting. Here, some seven had recently come out on the Sabbath, and at this meeting a church was organized consisting of ten members, Bro. George Field being appointed leader, and Bro. H. Tanner, clerk. Systematic Benevolence amounts to $86.00 per annum. We are confident that the Lord will add others to this number soon. Prospects are brightening at other points. The Lord is blessing our ministering brethren with courage, strength, and heavenly grace, for which we thank his holy name.
J. DORCAS.
A Baptist Deacon Accepts the Sabbath
The following letter was received from a brother in Osage Co., Kansas:—
DEAR BRETHREN: I am a stranger to you and perhaps to some of your doctrines, but, thank God, I have seen light upon the the Sabbath question. I have received a quantity of books from your Office, many of the works I never saw before, also the tracts which numbered about three hundred. I desire to know all of God's truth, and I pray that these works may be helps to me in my investigation. I will see that the tracts are faithfully distributed.
I have been a deacon in the Baptist church in this place until lately, but was obliged to withdraw on account of my views on the Sabbath. Many of my friends think the devil is at work here, but I know the Spirit of the living God is throwing light upon some minds. May God bless you in the effort to spread his truth, and a correct understanding of his holy law.
Please accept my hearty thanks for favors received. It may be when the grasshoppers leave, I shall be able to add my mite towards forwarding the good cause.
Encouraging.
By M. Wood
UNDER this heading there appeared in the Signs of the Times, of June 10, 1875, many cheering, soul-stirring extracts from letters received at the Signs Office from individuals who had become interested in the present truth and embraced the third angel's message simply from a perusal of the Signs. I often think, after reading of precious souls being brought to a knowledge of the truth through the agency of our periodicals, that none need say, There is nothing for me to do. There is work for all in the wide harvest field of the Master. We learn that whole families have embraced the truth and turned their feet from trampling upon God's holy Sabbath unto the keeping of all his righteous commandments without ever seeing or hearing a living preacher. These are facts that should stir our spirits, and awaken our drowsy energies to make new and more earnest efforts to place our publications in the hands of interested readers.
There are, according to Rev. 7: 2–4; 14: 1, 144,000 to be sealed with the seal of the living God. These are to be gathered from every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. The third angel's message is not a local affair. It is to go with a loud cry until it reaches the utmost parts of the earth. It is the work of God, and it must move onward until the world is warned of the approaching judgment of God, and accept or reject the only terms upon which the priceless boon of eternal life is to be given.
God is moving, by his Spirit, upon the hearts of the people. There are thousands of individuals whose hearts and consciences are made tender, and who are ready to receive the present truth, through whatever source it may be presented, whether by the living preacher or by the silent one in the form of books, periodicals, and tracts, which can go to those who could be reached in no other way.
What a work is ours! What a field lies before the members of the various T. & M. Societies! What opportunities we have of presenting the truth! And how eagerly we would avail ourselves of them did we realize the fearful responsibility which rests upon those who have received the light of present truth. For the manner in which we improve upon these opportunities we must shortly give an account, and receive a reward accordingly. In the day of Judgment all our works will be tried with fire; for the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is; and if any man's work abide, he shall receive a reward. If the blessed words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” are ever addressed to us, it will be because we have done well, and have acted faithfully the part assigned us.
Through the faithful and constant efforts of those who feel the burden of the work and a burden for souls resting upon them, tract organizations have been effected, by means of which the laity are permitted to act in successful co-operation with the preacher in giving the world its last message of warning. There are scores of cities whose inhabitants have never had their attention called to the solemn times in which we are living. In these cities, in towns, and in villages, and upon the highways, the humble missionary can accomplish a mighty work in acting as a pioneer for our preachers. He can act in the same capacity as an engineer corps to an advancing army. He can go ahead, shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and armed with the sword of the Spirit. With such equipments, and Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, to lead, there is nothing but ultimate victory for the soldier of Christ.
By a judicious and systematic effort upon the part of the members of the T. & M. Society in the distribution of our books, periodicals, and tracts, we can advance the cause of truth by clearing away prejudice from the minds of the people. We can thus prepare the way for more successful labor in new fields.
In order to be successful in the various enterprises connected with the T. & M. Society, we must have a spirit of meekness and Christian love which will manifest itself to those with whom we converse, and show them that our motive is to do them good. We may show them that we do not wish to gain a personal victory, but to lead them to Christ.
A theoretical knowledge of present truth is of no benefit to us unless we put that knowledge to a daily practical use, but it will only increase our condemnation in the day of Judgment; for those who know the Master's will and do it not shall be beaten with many stripes. God will hold us to a strict account for our labors in his vineyard. Even now the Master's voice may be heard saying, “Why stand ye here all the day idle? go ye also into the vineyard.” This language of our divine Lord, dear reader, applies to you and to me. There are no exemption papers issued nor discharges given to the people of God, until the battle is fought and the prize is won. If we feel our lack of ability and our limited means wherewith to work for God and his precious cause, we must seek wisdom of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. Oh! that we might fully realize our need of God's sustaining grace.